Dolphins’ offense delivers, defense disintegrates in 29-28 heartbreaker

By Hugo Guzman  |   Monday, October 13, 2008  |  Comments( 7 )

Miami Dolphins
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Going into Sunday’s Week 6 matchup with the Houston Texans, there were two things that the Miami Dolphins had yet to do this season: put together a go-ahead score in the waning moments of the fourth quarter and close out a game with a defensive stand in the final moments.

Sadly, though Miami did deliver a go-ahead touchdown with 1:45 left to play, its defense was unable to stop Texans quarterback Matt Schaub from marching his team downfield and scrambling into the end zone for the winning score with three seconds left in regulation.

It was one of those hallmark Dolphins debacles that most have become accustomed to when facing off against the Texans (Miami is 0-4 all time versus Houston). As a result of their latest defeat at the hands of Houston, the Dolphins are 2-3 this year.

It’s hard to pinpoint the exact cause of Miami’s demise, but most will look to the team’s inability to stop Schaub after intercepting him on each of the Texans' first two possessions. Schaub finished 22 of 42 for 379 yards and two touchdowns (one passing, one rushing). His main target, Andre Johnson, had a key fumble, but he still torched the Dolphins' secondary en route to a 10-catch, 178-yard, one-score performance. It was his superhuman grab on a fourth-and-10, in which he essentially stole the ball from a perfectly positioned Yeremiah Bell, that preserved Houston’s game-winning drive.

Special teams play was another key culprit for Miami's loss, especially in terms of kick coverage. The Dolphins allowed a long kick return which led to a field goal early in the game, and they also gave up a 70-yard punt runback for a touchdown.

In addition, the team took a step back in the penalty department, committing five (a holding call on Jake Long was negated, so the official stat line shows just four for 30 yards). Offensively, Chad Pennington put together another masterful performance, completing 19 of 25 passes for 284 yards, two touchdowns and an unlucky interception that came off a bobbled catch by tight end Anthony Fasano.

That interception would have likely sealed the Dolphins' fate were it not for a cagey play by wide receiver Greg Camarillo -- who forced a fumble on the INT return that Miami recovered. Camarillo continued to show a knack for catching footballs and doing the little things that put teams in a position to win, further solidifying his status as a legitimate No. 2 receiver.

Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for fellow wideout Ted Ginn Jr., who had just one reception for minus-1 yard.

There were still plenty positives to take away from this heartbreaking loss:

- Miami’s defense generated three turnovers (two interceptions and one fumble) and the team forced a total of four while giving up only one.
- Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams continue to produce. Both scored touchdowns in the red zone, combining for 94 rushing yards on 24 carries. Brown also came up with a huge 37-yard reception on Miami’s touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter.
- The "Wildcat" formation showed a new wrinkle that led to yet another long TD. This time, it was Brown handing off to Williams, who then pitched back to Pennington, who then hit a wide-open Patrick Cobbs deep downfield.
- Cobbs proved that Miami has a very deep running back stable, scoring two long touchdowns -- including an impressive screen that went for 80 yards.
- Linebackers Channing Crowder and Joey Porter posted great games, creating plenty of pressure and making plays all over the field.

Still, in the end, this game was a debacle of the highest order. It was a matchup in which the defense failed to make key plays – a perfect example being Renaldo Hill’s drop of a sure interception that would have likely sealed a Miami win – and lost a game that they should have won. It’s a reminder that the Dolphins, despite recent improvements and excitement, are still a team in rebuilding mode that needs to learn how to win these nail-biters (Miami is now 0-2 in games that come down to the final play); oftentimes, it’s the outcomes of close games that separate contenders from also-rans.
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About Hugo Guzman

Trying to bring an objective approach to NFL analysis.
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